Cows produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, three gases largely responsible for global warming. Through daily belching and flatulence, cows emit over twelve percent of the total methane released into the atmosphere per year.

Related Links:

For a fact sheet about the environmental impact of cattle, visit the website of Beyond Beef.

The vegan musician Moby also has a nice set of environmental statistics on his site. Follow the links to "Essays" and then "Everything is Wrong: Facts."

The website Vegan Outreach also has a good piece on meat consumption and the depletion of natural resources.